Panin director questioned in a case of kidnapping
Panin director questioned in a case of kidnapping
JAKARTA (JP): City Police questioned Panin Bank director
Roestian Syamsuddin yesterday in connection with the bank's loan
to Sulaiman Ramli, alias Han, who claims to have been kidnapped
and beaten by a group of people believed to be debt collectors.
City police spokesman, Lt. Col. Bambang Haryoko, confirmed
that police have been investigating the case and have summoned
certain people to be questioned.
He urged people to keep the presumption of innocence
principle. So far, Roestian is being questioned as a witness, not
as a suspect, he said, without giving details.
According to Han, his kidnapping is in connection with a 1990
Rp 3.6 billion (US$1.8 million) loan from Panin Bank.
Han alleges that in 1990 his acquaintance, Lay Mei Lin,
proposed to obtain a loan from Panin Bank, where she worked.
Because bank regulations do not allow an employee to apply for a
loan, Mei Lin "borrowed" Han's name on the application form.
Under an agreement between the two, it was said that Han
obtained a Rp 3.6 billion loan from Panin Bank. After receiving
the money, Han gave it to Mei Lin, who then gave the money to her
brother, with an agreement that her brother would repay the loan.
Han claims that he has not spent any of the money himself.
Based on the loan agreement, Panin Bank has been asking Han to
repay the loan. The bank knows nothing about agreements made
between Han, Mei Lin and her brother.
Amir Syamsuddin, Roestian's lawyer, told reporters yesterday
that, "Panin Bank knows nothing about other documents, except the
loan agreement between Panin Bank, as creditor, and Han, as
debtor."
Amir denied that Mei Lin was an officer of Panin Bank. "Mei
Lin was not a Panin Bank officer or bank customer," he said.
Amir also denied that Panin Bank is involved in the kidnapping
and beating of Han.
Police have also summoned Panin Bank's chief commissioner,
Mukmin Ali, who is scheduled to come to city police headquarters
tomorrow. (29)